The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-08
200 KNIGHTS OR LABOR,
REPRESENTING EVERY DISTRICT
OF PENNSYLVANIA,
Meet In Hsrrisburg-POwderly Ex-
presses Him'elf Well Pleased
With the Chicago Election.

hAhhAboOhdg AS APlh WI L
hundred knights OF Labor, represent
ing every district in Pennsy lvania, met
here this afternoon to consider the |
various bills relating to labor now be-
fore the Legislature. The session this |
afternoon was secret and vas strictly |
devoted to organization. General |
Mister Workman PowdeTly presided |
and in calling the convention to order |
made an address in which he coun-
seled wisdom and great care ia the de.
Liberation and spoke of the rapid
growth OF the order. He expressed
himself as we'll pleased at the result OF
the Chicago election. Ralph Beau:
mont Of Washington, d. O, and
Secretary Leitchman also addressed
the convention. 1t is understood
that the Legislators who
have introduced labor bills
will be requested to explain them.
The convention will draft memorial
to the Legislature, embodying its
We've, aud present it on Monday. The
public meeting in the House OF Rep
resentatIves tonight was very largely
attended. Mr.. Pc wderly presided and
made speech, in which hs asserted
that labor had right to bs represent
ed here by men to look sitter It's inter
ests in the Legislature. De referred
to the monopolistic corporations being
represented in legislative halls, and
said it was time the labor men OF
Pennsylvania emu lated the example
Of their brethren in New Jersey, and
Insist upon the examination OF all
labor bills before they were
passed. He said we are charged
with being anarchists and favoring
measures That tend TO anarchy. "As
chief of our organization, say that
anarchy finds no abiding place in our
midst, but monopolies want to make
people believe the contrary. No mat.
ter what errors we have committed in
the past, we hsvs always aimed at
doing right. We have pursued line
of policy and found out things that
are right and wrong, but we have
always kept clear OF the one thing
that brings odium on our country -
anarchy" He rejoiced, therefore, in
the defeat OF the Anarchist candidates
in Chicago.
IIeAd OF the result of the elections
in Chicago the other day, and l was
glad to see and hear that the working
men of that great city were good
enough to throw the lie back into the
faces OF those who passed as their
friends and representatives. No sooner
did the Anarchist ticket go before the
people than its supporters. said: 1--WE
will carry tbs ticket through under
the flag on whose face not one star
glistens, not one stripe is to be found,
and the teachings OF such men as
Powderly and Griffiths will have nc
weight with u.s." Bat they found on
election day that anarchy was
showed under as II was never
showed under before, and say amer
to that every time. [Great applause.
1 did not know but what in the
decoration OF this hall you might for
get to place the American flag on the
wall Thursday, that it might be
forgotten. l brought this with roe
this morning. Here Mr.. Powderiy
exhibited flag, amid tremendous
applause And brought it here 81
that il We were charged that we wer,
. not Americans, that there was.
, don't care where l was born, don
, care where the rest OF you were born
|, one who swore by that flag, and n
other. { Here Mr.. Powderly presented
| the Gag to M. T. Burke, of CArbondale
IA old friend.] Let them tomorro'
morning, after those outbursts OF az
plause, charge us with beiog anythin
else but free born American eli
} izenp, and those manifestation
I which you have now given eX
preston to will be the refutatio
of that lie, which will ring down tn
: G enturies in condemnation Of the re
: fig. Now, my brothers, we are her
aud we will stand or fall by the sent
ments | have given uttsrance to. w
are here rs Americans to wa CHI Anne
lean legislation in the interest of tt
i American people and in an America
' way, and also to cay that those me
d who assembled a hundred years az
q in the city Of Philadelphia and gay
. out the Declaration OF Independent
to the world were right when they d
q clared that all men were created III
It and equal and endowed with certa
- inalienable rights, and that We b
lieve they told the truth, and that
|. still continues to be the truth instei
Q OF living lie, as come OF those nat
n would have people believe. IA
-, plause. We can do this without
= ing anarchists, and do 1t without b
u coming partisians and without beiI
n tied to the chariot wheels OF eth
"a the Old Democratic or Republics
IA party. [Applsuse 1t was now
" impossibili!y for q mechanic to ca
IN enough by his own labor to suppC
or his family. He had to call in the he
IN of his wife and children. He want
% the barrier between life
AZ shame and lie OF virtuous indl
pc try gre lter than so csnts q d.
In The children should be taken Oh I
"a coal breaker and kept at school IN
ba sixteen years Of age. The Repub
no could not exist on foundation
We ignorance and vice and crime. Ind
ID trial schools should be estab ished a
no hands and brain educated at the Sal
" time. The legislature few years 9
would not have PAID the slightest
tention to a labor organization,
now the knights OF Labor could def
GO, any candidate, and 80 word to
,ee wise in this Legislature would be
a. ficient. The boycott was wrong
iVs the man who was boycotted, and
ur- was black listing wrong for the n
lty that made the black list. he did
haliava in aither: he believed In al